Copyright dailyrecord
Three family members from West Lothian have been sentenced for their role in a £20 million tax fraud case. Leslie Thompson, of Chapman’s Brae, Bathgate, was convicted of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue following trial one, which ended in March 2024 and was then jailed for six years. He was also disqualified from acting as a director of any company for a period of 12 years and handed a three-year Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO) which begins when released from prison. Beverley Thompson, wife of Leslie, also of Chapman’s Brae, was convicted of money laundering. On Monday, October 20, Thompson was jailed for 24 months, suspended for 18 months, handed a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work. Andrew Collins (formerly Thompson, son of Leslie), of Fallside Crescent, Bathgate, entered a guilty plea in July to conspiracy to cheat the public revenue. He was sentenced to 22 months in jail, suspended for two years, given a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days and disqualified from acting as a director of any company for eight years. The case involved a sophisticated tax fraud scheme operated through Winnington Networks Limited between 2011 and 2014, which deliberately understated VAT owed to HMRC. Key conspirators were caught planning the fraud at secret hotel meetings in Manchester and Birmingham. HMRC said key evidence was secured when WNL’s Financial Director, Neil Pursell, 60, and key players, were caught conspiring at two hotel meetings held in Manchester and Birmingham in late 2013. At each meeting, the men openly discussed the fraud; the mechanics and how they could just “invent the numbers” to falsely offset their output VAT claims. The fraud, which was described by trial Judge Dafna Spiro as “complex and highly sophisticated” saw WNL generating VAT by creating price drops on metals and electrical items they sold via a contrived chain of business transactions outside the UK. Richard Las, Director of HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, said: “This incredibly complex fraud was dismantled thanks to the tenacity, skill and dedication of our criminal investigators. “I hope this sends a clear message to anyone involved in tax fraud that regardless of how complex it may be, we have the skills, resources and the determination to catch you and to bring you to justice. “The scale of the sentences and the significant director disqualifications show how seriously the courts have treated this sustained and sophisticated attack on the UK tax system. “Tax fraud is not a victimless crime. It steals money that funds the public services we all rely on and I’d urge anyone with information about any type of tax fraud or money laundering to report it to HMRC on GOV.UK.” The huge investigation ultimately led to four trials at Southwark Crown Court and the conviction of 20 people. Alexander White, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Kashaf Bashir, William Lindfield, Assim Rather, Vishal Chudasama, Adeel Karamat Malik, Beverley Thompson, and Sarah Jane Peploe were sentenced for playing important roles in stealing and laundering £20 million from the UK taxpayer. “Together with the other thirteen convicted defendants, they helped operate a complex and sophisticated fake system of offsetting VAT payments to HMRC, money which was meant for public services but was instead stolen for their own selfish purposes. “The CPS has commenced proceeds of crime proceedings against all of these defendants to claw back this illegally obtained money.” All 20 people were convicted of or admitted either conspiracy to cheat the public revenue or money laundering offences. Don't miss the latest news from the West Lothian Courier. Sign up to our free newsletter here .
